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PAST ISSUES

     The University enacted a new policy last year and after a student’s second offense the student gets suspended for a semester, according to Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Joan Epro.

     Their first offenses took place in previous academic years. One of the students left without argument and two of the cases went up for appeal and were denied. One of the students was suspended, according to the report.

      Acts of plagiarism are more commonly committed towards the end of the semester, but incidents happened throughout the duration of the academic year.

     "I think desperation drives people to do it sometimes," said Reference Librarian and Chair of the Academic Standards Committee Benjamin Treat. 

     "You need to explain to the student what happened and that can be tricky at the end of the semester, but that is why the appeals process is in place," said Epro.

     Prior to 2006 students did not know that they would be suspended, according to Epro. 

     There were no major cases involving a specific student that the University was trying to root out. 

     "There was no Joker of plagiarists," said Treat.

      Franklin Pierce also looked at peer institutions for a plan of action, according to Treat.

     "Most colleges and universities have a policy like this or stricter.  At many universities students get expelled on the spot when plagiarism is reported," he said.

     "An increasing number of acts of plagiarism have been reported and this is the first time that the University has kept such close records of the incidents," said Epro.  “More and more faculty have been reporting plagiarism.”

     It is left up to the professor to fail the student involved in the incident for a specific assignment or for the entire course. 

     "There are professors reporting crimes that are so upset by it.  They take the idea that it [plagiarism] is seriously unethical," said Epro.

     Students receive a letter immediately after an act of plagiarism is reported by a professor, the professor will then discuss the matter with the student, and if the student does not want to state that they were guilty of plagiarism, they have five days to file an appeal. 

    First the appeal is reviewed by the Division Chair of the department in which the act took place, and if a second appeal is filed it then goes to the Academic Standards committee, according to Epro. 

     If the matter goes past the Academic Standards Committee it is then brought up for review by the Dean of the University Paul Kotila.

     The Internet has made it easier for students to obtain reports and work and copy it, according to Treat.  "The University Catalogue expresses lofty words dealing with plagiarism.  It really is the highest academic crime.  You are using thoughts and ideas of someone else as your own," said Treat.  

     There are also instances were students have turned in papers that they purchased off the Internet for money.  "It is also important to declare what plagiarism is and to go online and take a whole paper is plagiarism.  Taking a scholarly article word for word is still plagiarism," said Treat.

     There has not been an incident of a third case, but it would result in the expulsion of the student if it were to happen, according to Epro.

     The incident(s) of plagiarism are kept confidential and they are not reported on transcripts, or released by the school.

     "Our goal is not to embarrass the student. We want them to recognize what they did," said Treat. 

     There have been 12-15 cases of plagiarism reported this semester, according to Epro and Treat.  "Why people don’t want to ask for help is very frustrating," said Epro.

     Students can go to the Reference Librarian inside the Library or the Writing Center to get help with their assignments and to ask questions about making proper citations.